Up until two years ago I couldn't find time to read books. In November, 2005, I purchased a Palm TX and since then I've read dozens of books, including many out-of-copyright classics downloaded free from manybooks.net, without setting aside dedicated book-reading time. I can now read books anywhere and at any time without carrying a physical book.

For many, the Internet and email have usurped what was once time for leisure reading. Yet our days are punctuated by many idle moments that can be enriched by a good read -- standing on line, waiting for appointments or transportation, before the movie or performance begins, during intermissions, etc. These can add up to hours of enjoyable book reading.

Why should ebooks and print books be an either/or proposition? Audiobooks are popular because they enable people to “read” while they drive. Ebooks will become popular because they're more convenient to carry than print books. I prefer the Palm because the newer Sony Reader and Amazon 's Kindle, in striving to be book-like, sacrifice portability and readability in low or no light conditions, key advantages of an electronic reading device.

1) The Palm's size – 3” x 4-3/4” – makes it an easy fit for shirt or pants pocket, so it's instantly accessible. The Kindle and Sony Reader are about twice this size.

2) The Palm's backlit screen is readable in low light, no light, in fact any light except bright sunlight. You can read in darkened theatre before the movie starts and in the middle of the night without turning on a light and disturbing your bed partner. The Kindle and Sony paper-like screens are not readable in the dark.

3) The Palm's small screen size (about ¼ the size of a print page) is actually an advantage because it's easier to locate the spot where you left off and more frequent page turns convey the satisfying feeling of rapid progress. The battery-saving automatic turn-off has trained me to stay focused and read faster because I don't want the screen to go dark before I finish the page. I often read a few “pages” while waiting for an elevator!

4) Purchased ebooks can be shared with other Palm owners, so you can buy one copy and read/discuss it with close friends and family at the same time (you'll need to give them your credit card number to download them).

All three of the currently available ereader devices -- Palm TX , Kindle, and Sony Reader – have these additional features that are an advantage over print books:

1) You can change the font size to suit your comfort level. No book is off limits because the type is too small or too crowded.

2) You can download and carry hundreds of books anywhere and read whatever suits your mood.

3) Clicking any word instantly brings up the definition in your choice of dictionaries.

4) You can make notes without writing on a page and bookmark pages you want to return to without turning down the corners.

5) When you come across the name of a character you can't recall you can search for prior references.

While the Kindle offers a much larger selection of books than the Palm TX (90,000 vs. 17,000) plus newspapers and magazines, having a Palm has motivated me to read and enjoy many classics that I would not have read otherwise and which are more satisfying than most of today's best sellers.

I hope this information will encourage you to become an Ebook Evangelist too.

Dorlene
dorlene@yahoo.com